Medicine in Slovakia for foreigners

People with temporary protection status (dočasná ochrana) are covered by state health insurance — the state pays their contributions. In practice, most register with the general insurer (VšZP), but you can also choose Dôvera or Union. After registration, you receive an insured person's card (preukaz poistenca), which you show to the doctor and at the pharmacy.

The scope of coverage includes urgent and necessary medical care (neodkladná a potrebná zdravotná starostlivosť): visits to a family doctor, referrals to specialists, hospitalization, and basic prescriptions. Some services (certain planned procedures or dental work) may require a co-payment or be outside of coverage, so it's good to clarify before your visit.

To apply for insurance, submit an application to your chosen insurer with your temporary protection document and passport. For the exact list of services and current conditions for refugees (odídenci), check the VšZP website and the information sheet from the IOM Migration Information Center.

Temporary protection is currently extended until March 4, 2027, so coverage is valid at least until then — provided you maintain your status.

A family doctor (všeobecný lekár) is your first point of contact in the system: you go to them with most problems, and they issue referrals (výmenný lístok) to specialists. Children are seen by a separate children's doctor — a pediatrician (pediater).

To register, you need to find a doctor who is accepting new patients and sign a healthcare agreement (dohoda o poskytovaní zdravotnej starostlivosti) with them. Bring your passport, insured person's card, and any existing medical documentation. Lists of doctors by region and insurance provider are available on your insurer's website — for example, in the doctor search on VšZP.

Appointments are usually made in advance — by phone or through the reception. Please note: 'ambulancia' in Slovakia means a doctor's office, not an ambulance.

Prescriptions in Slovakia are almost always electronic (eRecept): the doctor enters the prescription into the system, linking it to your insured person record, and you get the medication at any pharmacy (lekáreň) by showing your insured person's card. You don't need to carry a separate paper form.

Insurance covers part of the cost, but many medications have a co-payment (doplatok za lieky) — the difference between the price and what the insurer reimburses. The amount depends on the specific medication; often there is a cheaper equivalent with the same active ingredient, which is worth asking about at the pharmacy.

For vulnerable groups (children, pensioners, people with disabilities), the state limits the annual co-payment amount and refunds the excess. The Ministry of Health (Ministerstvo zdravotníctva) publishes the current drug reimbursement rules.

Over-the-counter medicines are sold without a prescription but at full price. You can check the reimbursement category of specific medications through your insurer, for example VšZP.

If your life is in danger, call 112 (the single European number) or 155 (the Slovak ambulance service — Záchranná zdravotná služba). The call is free, and the dispatcher (dispečing) decides whether to send a team. These numbers are for truly critical situations: loss of consciousness, severe bleeding, chest pain, serious injury.

If the condition is not critical, but you cannot wait until your doctor's appointment (in the evening, at night, on weekends), there is an on-call outpatient service — pohotovosť (APS). From July 1, 2026, it typically operates until 10 PM.

There is a small fee for a visit to APS — approximately €2, and for on-call hospital care (ústavná pohotovosť) — about €10; there are exceptions (e.g., immediately after an injury). Check the Ministry of Health website for current amounts and operating hours of service points.

Please note: the ambulance (155/112) is for emergency care, not a way to get to a doctor faster. For non-complex issues, use your family doctor or pohotovosť; the IOM Migration Information Center also provides general guidance.

Most specialists require a referral from your family doctor — a výmenný lístok. Without it, a specialist may refuse a planned appointment or charge the full fee. Exceptions, to which you usually go without a referral, include gynecologists, dentists, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, and psychiatrists.

It's advisable to find a dentist (zubár) and register in advance. Basic treatment is partially covered by insurance: a preventive check-up once a year is usually free, but fillings 'above standard,' prosthetics, or cosmetic services require a co-payment. The scope also depends on whether you've had your annual preventive check-up.

To understand what your insurance covers in your case, check with your insurer — for example, VšZP or Dôvera.

If you are looking for a doctor who accepts new patients and works with Ukrainians, the IOM Migration Information Center can provide guidance and contacts.